Bristol Cars, the British manufacturer of iconic hand-built luxury cars, has been bought out of administration by Kamkorp Autokraft, part of the Frazer-Nash group.
The company, which makes only a handful of specialist cars every week at its factory in Filton, Bristol, UK, went into administration on 4 March 2011. The acquisition re-establishes the connection with Frazer-Nash which was influential in the foundation of Bristol Cars 65 years ago.
“Bristol Cars is a British institution and an important part of our national motoring heritage," said William Chia, director of operations for Frazer-Nash. “Over the next few months we will start to reveal the details of our plans to combine Bristol Cars’ tradition and iconic marque with Frazer-Nash’s pioneering technology to showcase our cutting-edge electric and range-extended powertrains.
“Mindful of Bristol Cars’ rich heritage and our responsibility as custodians of the brand, we are certain that our technology will blend seamlessly and successfully with the Bristol Cars tradition of engineering integrity.
“Owners and enthusiasts of the cars should be assured that, even though these are early days in our tenure of the brand, we are committed to providing them and their cars with the highest levels of quality, technology and service.”
Bristol Cars was established in 1946 when the Bristol Aeroplane Company looked for ways to find work for its employees after demand for its aircraft declined at the end of the war.
In 1960, when the aircraft business joined forces with others to form the British Aircraft Corporation (later British Aerospace), Bristol Cars passed into private ownership.
It has retained its connection with the aerospace industry over the years, however, producing models called Blenheim, and more recently Fighter, an aerodynamic gull-winged two-seater sports car with an 8 litre V-10 engine and a top speed of 210 miles per hour—faster than some small aircraft—and a 0-60 mph time of 4 seconds.
If you fancy one, be prepared to hand over upwards of £250,000.
